Supply Device

ABSTRACT

A supply device, in particular for work rooms such as classrooms, includes a profiled body for providing at least one lighting member and/or at least one user connection, which can be connected with an external media line. At least one mounting device is provided for mounting the profiled body. In order to improve room acoustics in a classroom, for example, the supply device also has at least one acoustic surface with a sound-absorbing surface and/or a sound-reflecting surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German Patent Application DE 10 2007 052 850.9, filed Nov. 6, 2007, and German Patent Application DE 10 2008 003 860.1, filed Jan. 10, 2008; the prior applications are herewith incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a supply device, in particular for work rooms such as classrooms and the like, including a profiled body for providing at least one lighting member and/or at least one user connection, which can be connected with an external media line, and at least one mounting device for mounting the profiled body.

Such a supply device is known, for example, from German Utility Model DE 20 2005 003 257 U1. The known supply device, which is also referred to as a media distributor, is formed basically of a (hollow) profiled body, that can be mounted to a room ceiling through supports. The profiled body has various supply lines, that can be connected with building media lines, as well as various user connections and lighting members, which are connected with the corresponding supply lines in the profiled body.

Such supply devices can be used to construct multifunctional classrooms, for instance, which can be used for example as “normal” classrooms or as laboratories, as is required, thanks to the numerous and various user connections and lighting options which have been made available.

In addition to that multifunctionality, there has also been an increasing desire in the case of work rooms in general and especially in the case of schoolrooms for good room acoustics with reduced noise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a supply device, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and which improves room acoustics.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a supply device, comprising a profiled body for providing at least one lighting member and/or at least one user connection, configured to be connected with an external media line. At least one mounting device is configured for mounting the profiled body, and at least one acoustic surface is provided.

The supply device of the invention that can be advantageously used in a work room, for example a classroom, has a profiled body which provides the user with at least one lighting member and/or at least one user connection, which can be connected, for example, through a supply line running in the profiled body with an external, i.e. for example building, media line. In this manner, the work room which is equipped with the supply device can have a multifunctional and varying use.

The supply device of the invention also has at least one acoustic surface, i.e. an acoustically effective surface. Thus, the supply device can at the same time be used to specifically change the acoustics in the work room, without additional units or components having to be installed in the work room, even if they may, of course, also still be available.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the at least one acoustic surface contains an acoustic surface which is fixed through a holder to the at least one mounting device and/or to the profiled body. The holder can then be optionally formed in such a way that the acoustic surface can pivot between at least two positions or that the acoustic surface is held in one position relative to the profiled body.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the at least one acoustic surface alternatively or additionally contains an acoustic surface which is provided on a surface section of the profiled body.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, in order to improve the acoustics, for example in a work room, the acoustic surface can contain a sound-absorbing surface, a sound-reflecting surface or at least one sound-absorbing surface and at least one sound-reflecting surface. The acoustic surface can then additionally be made from an acoustically effective material and/or constructed in an acoustically effective shape.

In an added embodiment of the invention, the acoustic surface is at least partially formed in an optically reflective manner. Thus, the acoustic surface can, for example, advantageously work in conjunction with a lighting member, particularly a lighting member for indirect lighting, on the profiled body.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the at least one mounting device can be formed for mounting the profiled body to the ceiling, for mounting it to the wall and/or for setting or putting it up. The at least one mounting device is then preferably formed in a vertically adjustable manner.

In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the at least one lighting member can contain a lighting member for direct lighting and/or a lighting member for indirect lighting.

In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the at least one user connection is, for example, chosen from power connections, water connections, gas connections, compressed air connections, data jacks and communications ports.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a supply device, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, top-plan view of a classroom, which is equipped with several supply devices according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view of a work station in the classroom of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side-elevational view of a supply device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view of a supply device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5 to 7 are fragmentary, longitudinal-sectional views of a supply device according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a bottom-plan view of the supply device of FIGS. 5 to 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is seen a construction of a multifunctional classroom 10 as an example of a work room with one or more supply devices of the invention, which will now be initially described.

In the classroom 10, a teacher's station 12 and a multiplicity of work stations 14 for students are provided as usual, noting that the configuration of FIG. 1 is only selected as an example. Two rows of supply devices 16 above the student work stations 14 are, for example, disposed in the classroom 10, as is a control cabinet 18 acting as a control device for controlling the supply devices 16. The control device 18 can, of course, also be disposed outside the classroom 10. As is shown in FIG. 2, the supply devices 16 are basically formed of a profiled body 20, which is mounted to a ceiling 24 of the room through the use of at least one support (mounting device) 22.

The profiled body 20, which is formed in general as a hollow profiled body, can have various supply lines, user connections 26 and lighting members. As is shown in FIG. 2, a student at a work station 14 can for example, if required, connect his or her laptop computer through corresponding connection lines 28 to a power supply connection, a data jack and/or an internet connection of the user connections 26 of the supply device 16. As a result of the supply device 16, which is mounted on the ceiling, “cases of stumbling” due to a connection of cables to connections in the floor and on side walls, are advantageously prevented. Alternatively, the classroom 10 can, for example, also be used as a laboratory in which the user connections 26 for compressed air, gas, water and the like are provided for the work stations 14 through a corresponding operation of the control device 18.

Various exemplary embodiments of supply devices 16 according to the invention are described in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8.

In the first exemplary embodiment, which is shown in FIG. 3, the profiled body 20 can be mounted to a room ceiling 24 through a support 22. The support (mounting device of the invention) 22 is then preferably formed in a vertically adjustable manner, for example like a telescope-type holder that has an adjustable length (see the double arrow 25). The underside of the profiled body 20 has a centrally disposed lighting member 30 for direct lighting of the work station 14 and its longitudinal sides have lighting members 32 which are directed diagonally upwards for indirect lighting of the classroom 10. The invention is not limited in this case to any special type of lighting members, and the configuration of the lighting members 30, 32 can also change over the length of the profiled body 20.

The underside of this profiled body 20 also has (generally facing the work station 14, which is below in FIG. 3) acoustic surfaces 34 on sections which are not required for the lighting member 30. These acoustic surfaces 34 are optionally sound-absorbing surfaces, sound-reflecting surfaces or a combined configuration of such surface types. Furthermore, the acoustic surfaces 34 are, for example, made from an acoustically effective material and/or formed in an acoustically effective shape. These acoustic surfaces 34 should, in particular, reduce noise in the work room, but can also, if required, produce a more beneficial diffusion of sound waves in the room.

The acoustic surfaces 34 on the supply devices 16 can, of course, also work in conjunction with other acoustic surfaces on ceilings and walls of the room or on pieces of furniture in the room.

In the second exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the hollow profiled body 20, which is likewise mounted through preferably vertically adjustable supports 22 to a room ceiling 24, has on its underside, which is facing the work station 14, a centrally disposed lighting member 30 running in the longitudinal direction of the profiled body 20 for direct lighting of the work station 14, as well as user connections 26 placed next to the lighting member 30. These user connections 26 are, for example, chosen from power connections, water connections, gas connections, compressed air connections, data jacks, communication ports and the like, and can be connected through appropriate supply lines (not shown) in the hollow profiled body 20 with external, i.e. in this case building, media lines. The respective connections are then controlled through the use of the control device 18, but can optionally also be made available in a continuous manner.

In this example, the acoustic surfaces 34 are provided on the longitudinal sides of the profiled body 20 which are diagonally inclined upwards, as is shown in FIG. 4. Incidentally, the embodiments given above in connection with the first exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 apply once again to the acoustic surfaces 34.

It should be noted that the numbers, sizes and shapes of the acoustic surfaces 34 provided on the profiled body 20 are not limited to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. In particular, all surface sections of the profiled body 20, which are not required for a lighting member 30, 32, a user connection 26 or the mounting device 22, can be basically used for the acoustic surfaces 34. Furthermore, the two exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4 can also be combined in which, for example, the profiled body 20 of the supply device 16 is constructed in the longitudinal direction thereof sectionally according to FIG. 3 and sectionally according to FIG. 4.

A third exemplary embodiment of a supply device will now be described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.

Whereas in the first and second exemplary embodiments, which were explained in detail above using FIGS. 3 and 4, the acoustic surfaces 34 were provided on surface sections of the profiled body 20, on which no lighting members 30, 32 or user connections 26 were provided, the supply device 16 of this exemplary embodiment has acoustic surfaces 36, which are fixed through a holder 38 on the support (mounting device) 22 for mounting the profiled body 20 to the ceiling.

As is illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the acoustic surfaces 36 in this case are basically panel-shaped constructions, which are formed at least partially from an acoustically effective material, i.e. for instance a material with sound-absorbing or sound-reflecting properties. For example, the acoustic surfaces 36 are formed from a sound-absorbing insulation material, on which a perforated plate is disposed on the side facing the work station 14.

The profiled body 20, in particular a hollow profiled body, optionally provides various lighting members 30 for direct lighting of a work station 14, lighting members 32 for indirect room lighting and/or user connections 26. The numbers, choices and configuration positions of these components are not limited in any particular manner, i.e. FIGS. 5 to 8 each show only an exemplary embodiment.

Furthermore, FIGS. 5 to 7 each show a cross section of the profiled body 20, in which a lighting member 30 is provided on one side, displaced in relation to the longitudinal center axis, and a user connection 26 is provided on the other side. As is illustrated in the bottom plan view of the supply device 16 in FIG. 8, the lighting member 30 and the user connections 26 can advantageously also be disposed in an alternate manner in which, additionally, the types of the provided user connections 26 can also change constantly in the longitudinal direction of the profiled body 20. Of course, a centrally disposed lighting member 30 can also be provided only on the underside of the profiled body (see, for example, FIGS. 3 and 4).

In this exemplary embodiment, the acoustic surfaces 36 are each connected through a hinge 40 with the holder 38. The holder 38, in this embodiment, is fixed to the support 22 of the profiled body 20. Alternatively, it is also possible to attach the holder 38 for the acoustic surfaces 36 to the profiled body 20 itself. The term “holder” includes both supporting connection members, as are shown for example in FIGS. 5 to 7, as well as direct fixing devices such as screw fittings and the like.

With this type of fixing using the hinge 40, the acoustic surfaces 36 can be moved between a first, basically horizontal position (FIGS. 5 and 6) and a second, basically vertical position (FIG. 7) to produce different effects on the room acoustics, as required. Of course, other intermediate positions of the acoustic surfaces 36, which are not shown in the figures, are also possible. The two end positions of the acoustic surfaces 36 also do not have to correspond to the horizontal or vertical orientation. Furthermore, the acoustic surfaces 36 can be locked in the respective chosen positions.

Adjustment of the acoustic surfaces 36 occurs in the illustrated exemplary embodiment through a cable spindle 42 disposed inside the support 22. One end of a guy cable 44 is connected to this cable spindle 42 and the other end thereof is connected to the outer end, i.e. to that end of the acoustic surface 36 facing away from the holder 38. The angle of inclination of the acoustic surface 36 is adjusted accordingly by winding and unwinding the guy cable 44 onto and from the cable spindle 42. The guy cable 44 is furthermore used to stably support the acoustic surface 36, in particular in the horizontal orientation shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The side of the acoustic surfaces, which faces the profiled body 20 or the work station 14, i.e. the underside thereof in this example, can also at least partially be formed, in another embodiment, in an optically reflective manner. This can be achieved, for example, as the result of a corresponding chosen material or by coating the acoustic surface 36. This embodiment of the acoustic surfaces 36 is particularly advantageous when the profiled body 20 of the supply device 16 provides a lighting member 32 for indirect room lighting, as is the case in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7. The beams of light emitting from this lighting member 32 are then effectively reflected at the undersides of the acoustic surfaces 36 (instead of, for example, at a room ceiling 24, as is normally the case).

In the third exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8, the support (mounting device) 22 is also preferably formed in a vertically adjustable manner.

The third exemplary embodiment has the advantage, over the examples of FIGS. 3 and 4 described above, of the acoustic surfaces 36 having larger acoustically effective surfaces in comparison with the acoustic surfaces 34 and of being able to be formed in an acoustically more effective manner as a result of the greater thickness thereof. This also becomes clear from the size ratios, shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, between the acoustic surfaces 36 and the profiled body 20.

The present invention is, of course, not limited only to the exemplary embodiments and variations described above. The following modifications and alternatives, for example, are therefore possible.

Additionally, in the case of the third exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7 with the acoustic surfaces 36, the profiled body 20 can also be provided on suitable surface sections with acoustic surfaces 34. In other words, a combination of the third exemplary embodiment with the first or second exemplary embodiment is also possible, in which of course the above-mentioned variations can, in each case, also be taken into consideration.

In the above-described exemplary embodiments, the respective acoustic surfaces 34 or 36 are provided symmetrically on the supply device 16. However, an asymmetric configuration is also possible. For example, in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8, a single acoustic surface 36 can also be attached on one side of the mounting device 22.

Whereas in the above-described third exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8, the acoustic surfaces 36 are attached to the holder 38 through the use of the hinge 40 in a pivoting manner, it is also possible in an alternative embodiment to fix the acoustic surfaces 36 without a hinge 40 directly to the holder 38, in such a way that the acoustic surfaces 36 are attached in a fixed position relative to the profiled body 20. This one fixed position of the acoustic surfaces 36 corresponds then normally to that shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8, without being limited thereto.

Whereas in the above-described third exemplary embodiment, the acoustic surfaces 36 are fixed through the holder 38 to the support (mounting device) 22 for mounting the profiled body 20 to the ceiling, it is also alternatively possible to attach the holder 38 to the profiled body 20.

In the above-described exemplary embodiments, the supply device 16 is in each case equipped with one or more mounting devices 22 for mounting the profiled body 20 to the ceiling. However, it is also possible to construct the at least one mounting device 22 additionally or alternatively for mounting the profiled body 20 to the wall and/or for setting it up, putting it up or hanging it up. The undersides of the profiled body 20 and of the acoustic surfaces 36 in the above-described exemplary embodiments correspond in this case generally to the sides of the supply device 16 that face the work station 14. The horizontal and vertical orientations of the acoustic surfaces 36 then simply denote an extended or retracted position. Thus, there are further possible alternatives for constructing multifunctional work rooms 10.

The present invention advantageously combines a (known per se) profiled body with lighting members and/or user connections with an acoustic function as a result of the acoustic surfaces 34, 36. The supply device 16 of the invention is, of course, not limited in this case to specific profiled bodies 20 and specific types, configurations, numbers, and the like, of lighting members and user connections.

The use of the supply devices 16 constructed as described above enables, on one hand, the formation, for example, of multifunctional classrooms and at the same time creates better room acoustics, without having to install and/or put up additional components or a large number of additional components in the actual room for this purpose. The supply devices 16 according to the invention can, however, also work in conjunction with other acoustic surfaces on ceilings, walls, furniture and the like and/or add to and influence the effects thereof.

Of course, the present invention is not limited only to classroom use. The supply devices according to the invention can advantageously also be used in other work rooms such as laboratories, open plan offices, patient rooms and the like. 

1. A supply device, comprising: a profiled body for providing at least one of at least one lighting member or at least one user connection configured to be connected with an external media line; at least one mounting device configured for mounting said profiled body; and at least one acoustic surface.
 2. The supply device according to claim 1, which further comprises a holder, said at least one acoustic surface including an acoustic surface fixed by said holder to at least one of said at least one mounting device or said profiled body.
 3. The supply device according to claim 2, wherein said holder permits said acoustic surface to pivot between at least two positions.
 4. The supply device according to claim 2, wherein said holder holds said acoustic surface in one position relative to said profiled body.
 5. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one acoustic surface includes an acoustic surface provided on a surface section of said profiled body.
 6. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one acoustic surface includes a sound-absorbing surface.
 7. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one acoustic surface includes a sound-reflecting surface.
 8. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one acoustic surface includes at least one sound-absorbing surface and at least one sound-reflecting surface.
 9. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one acoustic surface is made from an acoustically effective material and/or is constructed in an acoustically effective shape.
 10. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one acoustic surface is at least partially formed in an optically reflective manner.
 11. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one mounting device is configured for at least one of mounting said profiled body to a ceiling, mounting said profiled body to a wall or setting up said profiled body.
 12. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one mounting device is vertically adjustable.
 13. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one lighting member includes at least one of a lighting member for direct lighting or a lighting member for indirect lighting.
 14. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one user connection is selected from the group consisting of power connections, water connections, gas connections, compressed air connections, data jacks and communication ports. 